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The , or simply 'Nagasaki Line', runs from Tosu Station in Saga Prefecture to Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. There is a separate branch of this line which runs from Kikitsu to Urakami by way of Nagoyo. There are currently plans for the western (Nagasaki) branch of the Kyushu Shinkansen to run from Hizen-Yamaguchi to Isahaya, parallel to the existing track.

Contents

Route Data

Route Features

Operation

Limited/Express Trains

Regional Trains

Freight Trains

Rolling Stock

History

Stations

New Line (by way of Ichinuno)

Old Line (by way of Nagoyo)

Route Data

★ 'Operator and route length':

★
★ JR Kyushu

★
★
★ Tosu - Nagasaki: 125.3 km (77.9 mi)

★
★
★ Kikitsu - Nagoyo - Urakami: 23.5 km (14.6 mi)

★
★ JR Freight

★
★
★ Tosu - Nagasaki: 125.3 km (77.9 mi)

★ 'Gauge': 1067 mm (narrow gauge)

★ 'Stations': 41 (including special stations)

★ 'Double track':

★
★ Tosu - Hizen-Yamaguchi

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★ Isahaya - Kikitsu

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★ Urakami - Nagasaki

★ 'Electrification':

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★ Tosu - Nagasaki (20,000 V - 60 Hz)

★
★ Kikitsu - Nagoyo - Urakami (not electrified)

★ 'Closure system': Automatic

★ 'Operational Command': Hakata Integrated Command Center

Route Features

★ Because of high construction cost due to geography there is single track between Kashima and Nagasaki, and because it runs along a complicated coast there are a lot of curves.

★ The branch of the Nagasaki Main Line which existed before the opening of the new line and runs from Kikitsu to Urakami by way of Nagoyo is called the 'old line' (旧線). Before the opening of the new line, express and limited express lines ran on this track. You can see vestiges of this at Michinō and other stations on the old line.

★ The branch of the Nagasaki Main Line that is electrified, runs through Nagasaki Tunnel, and goes from Isahaya to Urakami by way of Ichinuno is called the 'new line' (新線).

Operation

Limited/Express Trains

The limited express Kamome operates on the Nagasaki Main Line. East of Hizen-Yamaguchi operates the merged limited express Midori/ Huis ten Bosch. From Isahaya to Urakami the limited express trains run on the new line. The sleeper train Akatsuki operates between Kyoto and Nagasaki.

Regional Trains

Other than trains that are operated on the entire Nagasaki Line, there are trains which operate in specific sections, such as from Tosu to Hizen-Kashima, and trains which continue on to other lines.

★ In the morning, from Hizen-Nanaura, there is a direct train to Mojikō (on the Kagoshima Main Line).

★ The new line from Isahaya to Nagasaki uses EMUs, but the old line, including direct trains to the Omura Line, uses DMUs. However, the express train Seaside Liner, despite being a DMU, uses the new line.

★ Between Hizen-Nanura and Yue, because it's a relatively inactive part of the line, local trains only run for about five hours into the daytime after the morning rush.

★ Oneman trains are operated on the entire Nagasaki Line. On the new line the 817 Series EMU is used, and on the old line the KiHa 66, 67, and 200 DMUs are used.

Freight Trains

Freight trains are operated between Tosu and Nabeshima. High speed freight trains do three round trips a day from Tosu Freight Terminal to Nabeshima. The electric locomotive used is the ED76 Series. Freight trains only arrive and depart from Nabeshima station.

Rolling Stock

★ 783 Series (Kamome, Midori, Huis ten Bosch)

★ 885 Series (Kamome)

★ 14 Series (Akatsuki)

★ 811 Series

★ 813 Series

★ 817 Series

★ 415 Series

★ KiHa 66/67 DMUs (Seaside Liner)

★ KiHa 200 DMUs (Seaside Liner)

History

In 1907 the Railway Nationalization Act was passed in Japan, nationalizing all railways. This act provided that the Ariake Line be extended from Tosu to Isahaya by way of Kashima. It also provided that a new line be built from Kikitsu to Urakami by way of Nagasaki. This was all completed in 1934, and the line was renamed the Nagasaki Main Line.

Stations

New Line (by way of Ichinuno)

:●：Always stops   ▲：Sometimes stops  ｜：Does not stop

Station	Japanese	Distance from Tosu (km)	Express Seaside Liner	Connecting Lines, Notes	Location
Tosu	鳥栖	0.0		JR Kyushu：Kagoshima Main Line	Saga Prefecture	Tosu
Shin-Tosu	新鳥栖	2.0		JR Kyushu：Kyushu Shinkansen （being constructed） ''scheduled to open 2011''
Hizen-Fumoto	肥前麓	4.2
Nakabaru	中原	8.5				Miyaki
Yoshinogari-kōen	吉野ヶ里公園	13.1				Yoshinogari
Kanzaki	神埼	15.7				Kanzaki
Igaya	伊賀屋	20.2				Saga
Saga	佐賀	25.0
Nabeshima	鍋島	28.0
Balloon Saga	バルーンさが	29.8		''only operational during the Saga International Balloon Fiesta''
Kubota	久保田	31.4		JR Kyushu：Karatsu Line		Kubota
Ushizu	牛津	34.2				Ogi
Hizen-Yamaguchi	肥前山口	39.6		JR Kyushu：Sasebo Line		Kōhoku
Hizen-Shiroishi	肥前白石	44.7				Shiroishi
Hizen-Ryūō	肥前竜王	49.4
Hizen-Kashima	肥前鹿島	54.6				Kashima
Hizen-Hama	肥前浜	57.6
Hizen-Nanaura	肥前七浦	61.5
Hizen-Iida	肥前飯田	63.6
Tara	多良	67.7				Tara
Hizen-Ōura	肥前大浦	75.6
Konagai	小長井	82.3			Nagasaki Prefecture	Isahaya
Nagasato	長里	84.7
Yue	湯江	87.6
Oe	小江	90.9
Hizen-Nagata	肥前長田	95.6
Higashi-Isahaya	東諫早	97.8	Continues to Ōmura Line
Isahaya	諫早	100.4	●	JR Kyushu：Ōmura Line Shimabara Railway：Shimabara Railway Line
Nishi-Isahaya	西諫早	103.2	▲
Kikitsu	喜々津	106.9	●	JR Kyushu：Nagasaki Main Line (old line by way of Nagayo)''
Ichinuno	市布	109.4	▲
Hizen-Koga	肥前古賀	112.3	▲			Nagasaki
Utstsugawa	現川	114.8	▲
Urakami	浦上	123.7	●	JR Kyushu：Nagasaki Main Line (old line by way of Nagayo) Nagasaki Tramway：Main Line (本線)
Nagasaki	長崎	125.3	●	Nagasaki Tramway：Main Line (本線), Sakura-machi Line (桜町支線)

Old Line (by way of Nagoyo)

Station	Japanese	Distance from Kikitsu	Connecting Lines	Location
Kikitsu	喜々津	0.0	JR Kyushu：Nagaski Main Line （new line by way of Ichinuno）	Nagasaki Prefecture	Isahaya
Higashi-Sono	東園	3.5
Ōkusa	大草	7.2
Honkawachi	本川内	12.3			Nagoyo
Nagoyo	長与	15.4
Kōda	高田	16.4
Michinō	道ノ尾	18.9
Nishi-Urakami	西浦上	20.6			Nagasaki
Urakami	浦上	23.5	JR Kyushu：Nagasaki Main Line （new line by way of Ichinuno） Nagasaki Tramway：Main Line